Self-Contained Topics

A topic is the unit of content that appears on one computer screen. To be effective, the topic should be coherent and clearly focused. Hypertext documents are often read out of sequence, so the writer must create information that can stand alone and does not require other screens of information to clarify or enhance the topic.

William Horton uses an analogy comparing topics to recipe cards. If you have a stack of recipe cards and toss them in the air, when you pick them up off the floor they still make sense. Sorting them by main dish ingredient or which meal complements another meal gives value to the cards, but if left in random order they still make sense, no matter in which order you read them. (94:105).

Each screen should, if read randomly, make sense to the reader. It is important to provide enough information for readers to understand. When writing electronic docments, it is sometimes easy to lose context. To make up for lost context, repeat contextual information, where needed, and provide adequate links to related information.

Write, edit, and review topics in random order. When left to their own devices, well-organized writers will write topics in a very logical order.

Willaim Horton